The University of Texas at Austin is one of the most well-known, and well-respected, public universities in the United States. They offer an impressive education, and have a strong commitment to their Texas students — which has created a bit of a bottle-neck. It is true that UT Austin is a great school regardless of whether you are from Texas or not, but the university has become exceptionally hard to get into for out-of-state students mostly for an impressive public relations team. The guaranteed admission program for Texas students ensures that the best of the best have a seat, but out-of-state students face high odds. The difficulty of getting in has only driven up demand, and the most recent available data shows an out-of-state acceptance rate of only 10%.
How to Write the Santa Clara University Supplement 2026-2027
Santa Clara University is all about location, location, location. As a selective university with a strong academic track record and Jesuit Catholic foundation, what really sells Santa Clara to strong students is the fact that it sits in the middle of Silicon Valley. Students at Santa Clara don’t need to wait for summer break for an impressive internship. Instead, they are able to start doing the work parallel to their academic path, with gives many students at Santa Clara a leg up when it comes to launching a career. This makes Santa Clara a strong strategic choice for many students, which is why we recommend it as a target or foundation school for driven students. The acceptance rate is about 50%.
How to Write the Princeton Supplement 2026-2027
How to Write the Haverford Supplement 2026-2027
Haverford is a small liberal arts college in Pennsylvania with a culture other small schools only aspire to. Students are curious, growth-minded, and collaborative, and the student body passionately protects the Haverford Honor Code, an evolving, student-led series of policies that prioritize trust and freedom. A whopping 75% of classes at Haverford have fewer than 20 students, and the most popular majors are Political Science, Chemistry, and Neuroscience. In this way, Haverford defies many people’s expectations of small liberal arts schools. Yes, the English department is exceptional, but much more is happening on campus than debating philosophy. The acceptance rate is about 15.5%.
How to Write the Cornell Supplement 2026-2027
Let’s talk about Cornell University! We’ll start with the obvious, which many of you future applicants probably already know: Cornell is an Ivy League college located in Ithaca, New York. Of the Ivies, Cornell is the largest in terms of campus size (745 acres) and undergraduate enrollment (about 16,000 students) and has the highest acceptance rate (~8%).
How to Write the Notre Dame Supplement 2026-2027
How to Write the Johns Hopkins Supplement 2026-2027
Johns Hopkins University pulls off something highly improbable. The university is the #1 school in the United States for research investment, but also a mid-sized (5,600) close community. So, it’s a powerhouse, but also a welcoming space that embraces their undergraduate community. In fact, 98% of students conduct at least one year of research or internship experience before graduation. The first-year acceptance rate is about 6%.
How to Write the NYU Supplement 2026-2027
New York University, or NYU, is one of the most popular universities in the United States, and not only because it’s in the middle of the action of New York City. NYU doesn’t have a campus in the traditional sense. Downtown NYC is the campus. Students live alongside outstanding pizza spots and jump on the subway to get to week-night concerts. The arts are alive at NYU, and students are able to start building their careers in business long before receiving their diploma. Unsurprisingly, competition is steep to get in. The first year acceptance rate is about 8% for the New York campus, with the addition of the global campuses in places like Abu Dhabi only increasing the acceptance rate to 12%. For this post, we’ll be focused on the most competitive NYU campus: New York.
How to Write the Wake Forest Supplement 2026-2027
Wake Forest could be described as a liberal arts college with a strong research backbone, or as a research institution with a liberal arts ethos. Both apply. The university has become famous for offering undergraduate students the types of opportunities typically only available at much larger institutions, but in a manageable package and a close-knit community. There are about 5,600 undergraduate students total, and that accounts for about ⅔ of the total student body. The acceptance rate for the Class of 2030 was 17%.
How to Write the Emory Supplement 2026-2027
Just as Ludacris once said, “Welcome to Atlanta.” Emory is Hotlanta’s No. 1 private research university. Emory has a lot going for it. They are best known for their health/premed programs (the CDC is pretty much in their backyard), the Goizueta Business School, and a strong liberal arts curriculum. They are also home to Oxford College, a smaller school for freshmen and sophomores looking for a LAC (liberal arts college) vibe before being folded into the greater Emory community for their last two years.
How to Write the Michigan Supplement 2026-2027
The University of Michigan is one of the most well-respected and well-known public universities in the United States. It is especially well-known for out-of-state students interested in studying STEM subjects. However, as a public university Michigan has to heavily prioritize in-state applicants. That has driven the acceptance rate down for out-of-staters, making actually getting into Mich a formidable challenge even for the best of the best. The overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was 16.4%, but remember that this is a combined acceptance rate that includes both in-state and out-of-state applicants. Michigan has not broken out their in-state vs. out-of-state acceptance rates in recent years, but we are confident estimating that the in-state acceptance rate is closer to 30%, and the out-of-state acceptance rate is well under 10%.
How to Write the Pomona Supplement 2026-2027
How to Write the Brown Supplement 2026-2027
How to Write the Columbia Supplement 2026-2027
Columbia University is a world-renowned Ivy League university in the heart of New York City. The traditional undergraduate colleges, Columbia College and Columbia Engineering, are highly-sought after for students passionate about both learning and being in the midst of the action. The overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2030 was 4.2%.
How to Write the USC Supplement 2026-2027
How to Write the Dartmouth Supplement 2026-2027
Dartmouth is the mountain Ivy. It is an outstanding top-tier university nestled in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Due to its quite isolated location, it attracts students who are at the top of their game in school but who also want to be outdoors, in nature, and who aren’t scared of a hard winter. The overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was 6%. The Early Decision acceptance rate that same year was 21.6%.
How to Write the Carnegie Mellon Supplement 2026-2027
Carnegie Mellon is a university that puts the future in the now. They are strongly focused on your next chapter beyond campus, and what you can build with the foundation you earn at Carnegie Mellon. The average starting salary for 2025 graduates was over $116,000. That is a wild number, but it also doesn’t shock us. Carnegie Mellon focuses on functional degrees that can turn into high earning careers. Basically, they mean business. Unsurprisingly, that has driven competition to get in. The acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was 11%.
How to Write the Barnard Supplement 2026-2027
Barnard is the most famous all-women’s college in the United States. It isn’t famous just because it’s a top school for women, though. Barnard is simply a top college. Through its affiliation with Columbia University, Barnard students have access to nearly every resource Columbia has to offer, and then some. Students at Barnard also have unique opportunities and resources that are not available to other Columbia students. This long made Barnard a bit of a secret gem, but the secret is out. The acceptance rate has plummeted in recent years, and was only 10% for the Class of 2029. They have not released the admissions statistics for the Class of 2030 yet.
How to Write the Penn Supplement 2026-2027
So you want to apply to Penn State? Just kidding, we know you came here for advice on how to apply to the private, Ivy League research institution in Philadelphia, PA (and not the similarly named state school). The University of Pennsylvania, often just called Penn or UPenn, is a great choice for work-hard-play-hard types, budding business students, interdisciplinary liberal arts majors, and those looking for an elite East Coast institution. Cards on the table, we have a little soft spot for Penn since our founder is an alum.
How to Write the Rice Supplement 2026-2027
Rice is a prestigious research university in Houston, Texas that is consistently ranked as one of the top 20 universities in the country. They are especially well-known for their programs in business, architecture, and a unique relationship with NASA. Rice has been working with NASA for over 60 years, collaborating on research that has shaped the national space program and global technologies and opportunities. The acceptance rate is 7.7%.